Cane di Oropa

Also called Cane da pastore di Oropa, Pastore d'Oropa, Cane da pastore biellese, Pastore Biellese

Rare breedShort profile

From Biella area of Piedmont, north-west Italy, in the Alpine pastures around the Oropa valley.1 2

At a glance the quick version

quick and highly responsive

hands-on, capable herder

hardy in mountain terrain

Coat and looks how to spot one

mostly short coat

A working mountain herder, usually short-coated and often with a mottled look. Many puppies are born with a naturally short tail.1

Coloursgrey merle (lilac merle)tricolourgrey piedblackfawnfawn with charcoal overlay1

Personality what they are like

A lively, very reactive working dog. Like other Italian shepherd types it moves stock firmly, nudging and sometimes nipping the animals to keep the flock together.1

Daily activity how busy a day looks

High. A true working herder bred for moving flocks over steep Alpine ground.1 2

The story where it all began

Shepherds in the Biella hills kept and selected these dogs for their herding skill for generations. When traditional sheep farming declined the type became scarce, and a local association, Amici del Cane d'Oropa, began a recovery programme with support from the province.1

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
The breed recovery protocol was drawn up with vets from the University of Milan's veterinary faculty.1
2
Many Oropa dogs are born with naturally short tails.1
3
The breed takes its name from Oropa, in the Biella hills of Piedmont where it was kept by local shepherds.1

Recognised by the official bits

ENCI (Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana): Listed as partially recognised / among the Italian breeds recognised by ENCI; sources differ on the exact stage.2
ENCI: Italian Wikipedia counts it among the Italian breeds officially recognised by ENCI as of 2016.1
FCI: Not recognised by the FCI.2

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Cane di Oropa. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

Brushingevery week
Bathevery 8 weeks
Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 7every year

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.

Wikipedia (it): Cane da pastore di Oropa it.wikipedia.orgused for origin, coat, colours, temperament, history, facts
Wikipedia: List of Italian dog breeds en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, recognition status, region

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.